


Goodbye In Her Eyes

by katherynmae



Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 18:30:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5550860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherynmae/pseuds/katherynmae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing breaks your heart more than watching the love of your life fall in love with someone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodbye In Her Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Major creds to Zac Brown Band for the lyrics and my brain for creating a massive fantasy world.

September was when it all changed. It was almost immediate and he noticed how her demeanor had changed since that first night on _Strictly Come Dancing_. Her smile came more often and her eyes lit up at the thought of returning back to the studios to continue her training. John tried to chalk it up to her excitement over being able to have something new to look forwards to each day, something that Katie was able to focus her attention on, but he knew the feelings she felt for Anton already ran much deeper than friendship. 

_I could tell that it was over_  
_When her lips met mine_  
_It was an emptiness in her voice  
_ _Hesitation when she smiled_

The suggestion for her to begin sleeping in the guest bedroom had been entirely her own a few weeks into training. Katie had chalked it up to the excuse that she had long days training and needed to get her best sleep each night. But John noticed it in other ways too. He couldn’t remember the last time that she had been even remotely affectionate towards him, even a simple touch on the hand seemed weeks away, not to even think of the last time she had kissed him. Her entire world now was her training on _Strictly_ , not to mention her dance partner who spent more than enough time treating her to breakfasts out before training, along with quiet dinners after their day was done. 

_She didn't have to say a word_  
_It was just so plain to see_  
_She had found what she'd been looking for  
_ _And I knew it wasn't me_

It didn’t take long for him to catch on to the fact that Anton had noticed Katie’s feelings for him, along with the fact that he returned them, and he found himself questioning even more what he couldn’t offer her. They had two beautiful daughters together, two precious angels who she often said meant the world to her. In fact, she would always correct herself, their daughters were her world and he wondered what they would say when they found out about the man who now held their mother’s heart. John knew both their girls already knew a bit about him, and that on some level, they adored Anton as much as they did him, but he couldn’t help wonder what Anton had that he didn’t. He knew that his wife would never intentionally drag their girls into a relationship when she wasn’t serious, but the idea of where _this_ relationship was headed was what he feared the most.

_I saw goodbye in her eyes_  
_I don't think I can change it_  
_There's no way to disguise  
_ _We will never make it_

It wasn’t long before Katie began bringing up the idea of divorce. It was a word that he never wanted to her tumble from her lips, and when it did, it felt like a string inside of him broke. John had to feign even more surprise as she went on about how she was falling in love with someone else and that, no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t stop herself. That she knew Anton was the love of her life and she wanted whatever future he could offer her. The idea of his wife accepting the offer of a future with a man she had known for barely a few months seemed to frighten John even more, knowing that this wasn’t the same woman who he had fallen in love with years and years ago.

_Sometimes I feel like a clown_  
_Who can't wash off his make-up_  
_The life she wanted ‒ it was gone  
_ _Prince Charming ‒ I wasn't_

It was far too evident to John just how much Katie loved Anton, he knew that shortly after he settled on agreeing to a divorce. The idea of divorcing the love of his life pained him to think about, he missed her even knowing that they would keep up the clever “happy marriage” act until the end of the year. Katie had insisted on that, albeit at Anton’s urging - but John had known better - and he did it simply because he wanted to be nearer to her. Though the gentle reminders; the simple diamond necklace that Anton had bought for Katie, his arm around her whenever he was near her, and his famous spinning hugs, all seemed like a twist in the gut. John knew that Anton loved her, and a part of him couldn’t blame her for falling in love with Katie either, after all, he had known she was the love of his life shortly after meeting her. 

_But I would trade a thousand Babylons_  
_To be in her arms tomorrow_  
_Oh, but like the tide her love has come and gone  
_ _And it's time for me to go_

These days, all John seemed to see of Katie was the snapshots of clips of her and Anton’s performances on _Strictly_. He avoided the front room as soon as the girls settled into their respective chairs, locking himself away as far as he could from the television, trying to drown out the sound. Occasionally either Natasha or Eleanor forgot themselves and insisted that they had to show him a clip of Katie’s performance, which always seemed to sting even more, but John pushed himself through it for their sakes. 

_I saw goodbye in her eyes_  
_I don't think I can change it_  
_There's no way to disguise  
_ _We will never make it_

Every Sunday was the day that Katie and Anton spent with the girls, at first it had been just Katie, more of a quiet little way of avoiding hurting John’s pride even more, but the girls always asked for Anton. Well, more specifically, Eleanor always asked for Anton and neither of them had the heart to tell her that Anton couldn’t join them just to allow John to hold onto the last bit of hope he had. Natasha was a bit more refined in her asking for Anton to spend time with them, because she knew what her father went through each time he heard a mention of their mother and Anton, but she loved seeing how happy he made her mother. The both of them adored Anton nearly as much as they adored him, which seemed to worry John even more, as if he wasn’t enough for them either. His confidence had been on edge ever since Katie had brought up divorce and it seemed to falter even more each day without her. 

_Now she sees right through me_  
_Should I hold on to what we've got_  
_Is it just a waste of time?_  
_One thing that I know for sure  
_ _I saw goodbye in her eyes_

The news of Katie and John’s divorce hit the papers just days after the _Strictly_ finale, and while Anton and her had come in second place, the rumors flew even more so. All three of them took to hiding from the media as best they could, not wanting anything to do with discussing their personal relationships. Everyone, no matter where they looked, had seen the budding romance between Katie and Anton during the season and nothing they could have said seemed to quell the questions about their relationship. 

_I know you got somebody new now_  
_All my candles have burned out_  
_He's gonna love the way you shine_  
_So did I  
_ _So don't smile at me it ain't what you mean_

Anton and Katie had entirely skipped over a large portion of their relationship, but it seemed to be working for them, and John hated that. When she had moved out, Katie had moved straight into Anton’s apartment, and within weeks, they had begun looking at a place that had enough space that both Natasha and Eleanor would be able to spend a night with them comfortably. The double bed in the second bedroom was a bit crowded for the two of them, and often, Natasha had found herself sleeping on the couch in search of a more comfortable space. John envied the delight in his girls’ eyes whenever they talked about spending the evenings with the two of them.  

_Should I hold on_  
_Is it just a waste of time?_  
_One thing that I know for sure  
_ _I saw goodbye in your eyes_

The news of their engagement hit John in the worst way possible. Eleanor had let slip about it the proposal and how she and Natasha had helped Anton pick out the perfect ring. He knew it had to be coming one of those days, he had seen how easily the two of them fit together, and how much Katie smiled when talking about Anton these days. While it hurt to admit to himself, John knew that there was something different about Katie’s relationship with Anton that he couldn’t give her, and he was grateful that he had had the chance to love her at all. 

_I know that it's over_


End file.
